Breaking Point
by Chaseblaire
Summary: After an unforeseen revelation, Neji is driven to lengths he never imagined and joins Akatsuki. Everybody has a a breaking point.Ita/Neji,other pairings to come.
1. Initiation

Neji follows the man in front of him, ignoring his cheery attempts t to make conversation. Neji shouldn't be running along behind him, let alone laughing at his bad jokes. Tobi is _akatsuki, _for _Kami_'_s _ sake. But then, Neji thinks, glancing down at the red-and-black cloak that swirls behind him, so is he.

Tobi laughs and makes bad jokes, and it's easy to mistake him for stupid or harmless. But Neji can see the _sharingan_ under the lurid orange mask, and he knows Tobi is more than what he seems.

"Neji-_san_!" Tobi sings out, "Almost there." Neji winces. This is a dark day, and Tobi's gawdy colors and piercing voice clash with Neji's mood. Neji closes his eyes but all he can see is blood and white skin and pale, unseeing eyes.

_Hiashi backs away, hands raised defensively. Hiashi's chakra is low, and Neji can see by the tremors that it's taking all of his energy just to keep the _Byakugaan _active_. _Hiashi is cornered, backed up against the wall, as Neji stalks toward him._

"_Why now? Why not sooner, when you learned of Hizashi's death?" Hiashi tries to sound nonchalant, but the trembling in his hands get worse, and the protruding veins of his temple threaten to recede._

_Neji reaches out, almost gently, and brushes the sides of Hiashi's face with the Gentle Fist. Just a touch, but Hiashi's jaw hangs useless and slack. Neji widens his eyes, making sure to carefully observe everything, so as not to miss _anything_. He's smiling as he cuts out his uncle's eyes._

_After, Hiashi lays almost still, fingers twitching helplessly at his sides. His empty eyes sockets leak blood and vitreous fluid onto the once pristine hard wood floor. _

"_Please." The blocks on his jaw have worn off, so the whisper is faint but clear. Hiashi jerks toward the blood-stained kunai and Neji understands; Hiashi's plea is for a merciful death. Neji kicks the kunai out of reach, and stare down at his uncle, trying to feel _something.

"_You killed my mother_."

"Neji-_san_?" The honorific seems almost sarcastic as Tobi glances back to see why Neji isn't moving. "Did you say something?"

"No." Neji keeps his voice low, biting his lip to keep his lips from quivering. He's too skilled a ninja to spit out the blood that fills his mouth, so he swallows and tastes copper and salt. Tobi lets it go, and they make camp in silence.

Tobi breaks the quiet over a fire and ungodly sweet tea. " My, you know, _cool_ eyes, that's just between us , right?"

Neji can hear the threat that lurks behind Tobi's voice and wonders who Tobi is, exactly. "Of course."

"Okay, that's good. Wouldn't want all the other kids to get jealous." Neji snorts, sipping delicately at the cloying tea that the odd man seems to love; Tobi's third cup is already empty.

After finishing the pot, Tobi sets up his sleeping bag uncomfortably close to Neji, not removing the mask even though it must be uncomfortable to sleep in. Neji can't fathom why; he already knows Tobi's an Uchiha. "We're getting close! One more day and we'll be there, Neji. "

Neji notices the lack of honorific but doesn't mention it. His stomach flutters at the thought of being so close to leaving everything he loved behind. He wonders if he'll ever be as famous as Itachi, wonders if the destruction of Hyuuga will ever equal the Uchiha massacre. _Probably not._

It takes Neji a long time to fall asleep, and when he does he dreams of Hiashi's ruined eyes, of Hinata crying and asking him _why, why, Neji, Neji, Neji_

"Neji, Neji!" He wakes with a start, reflexively grabbing the wrist of the _shinobi_ shaking him awake. Tobi's impassive pumpkin-slice of a mask stares impassively back at Neji, who feels wetness on his cheeks. If Tobi notices the tears he says nothing, and Neji is grateful for small favors as he stumbles into the woods to piss.

Tobi hums to himself as they walk alongside the river. It's a beautiful day: not a cloud in the sky. Neji buttons his cloak tighter and reflects on the cruel ironies of nature.

When they reach the massive cave, Tobi makes Neji pinky-swear not to peek as he does something that makes the boulder blocking the entrance roll away. Neji could see easily if he wanted to, but he is wary of Tobi's _sharingan_, and lackadaisical threats.

Inside is slightly dank, water from the river leaking in through the seams. Neji does'nt what to expect, and almost cries out when the massive rocks slams back into place. There's no turning back now.

"Zetsu-_sama_!"

Neji jerks around to see the torso of a man protruding from the floor. He tries not stare and the leafy green appendages that frame his oddly colored face.

"Tobi. **Leave us.**" Zetsu acknowledges and dismisses his subordinate with little more that a nod and wave. Tobi flicker and vanishes. Neji meets Zetsu's odd, golden eyes.

"Welcome to Akatsuki. We hope you survive. **I don't.**" Neji swallows and says nothing. "You can meet the others soon. **Too soon. We're all outcasts for a reason.**"

Zetsu doesn't say anything except to greet Kisame, who Neji is handed off to. The blue-skinned man grins widely, displaying a set of dangerously pointed teeth. Neji shivers and tells himself it's because of the damp.

Neji clears his throat. "Where is the bathroom, Kisame-_san_?"

"You're lucky, Hyuuga. If you'd been here a couple of years ago you would have to shit in a hole. And smell like it after. No showers, then." Kisame grimaces, leading Neji down a series of intricately crossed corridors. Neji pales slightly at the thought.

"Are there showers now?"

"Like I said, kid. Lucky. Kakuzu hooked up some sort of generator."

Neji nods and they walk in silence until they reach what he assumes is the bathroom. Kisame grins and scowls, stretching out his hand. Neji takes it, unsure of the missing-_nin_'s intention.

"You're a bit like Itachi, you know that? Quiet. I hope you make it." Neji finds himself actually _blushing_ to be compared to the Uchiha, and is mortified at the fact. He is still debating whether to thank Kisame when the his features melt and puddle into water on the floor. A _bunshin_.

Neji inspects the small bathroom, recoiling at the green mold happily thriving in the shower. The faucets are rusty and derelict; but besides that the bathroom is fairly tidy.

He steps into the shower and turns the water on; it jets out with a sharp sputter and a hallow _clang._ The water is almost unbearibaly hot and isn't long before Neji is bright red all over. The too-hot temperature feels good, as if the water is scouring away all the mistakes Neji has ever made.

Days later, when he receives his Akatsuki cloak and ring, Neji is reborn.


	2. Attraction

Neji has been with the Akatsuki for weeks.

He takes pride in the fact that he can navigate the rat-warren of a hideout without even activating the _Byakugaan_. Now Neji can find the bathroom or kitchen without asking one of the other members to accompany him, and the inevitable snickers that followed.

Despite this, Neji still feels like an outsider. He is the only one lacking a partner, for one thing. The way the _Akatsuki_ do everything in pairs is almost comical, like schoolchildren lining up at the Konoha Academy. Neji stifles a giggle and Sasori, who is passing by, eyes him strangely.

Life in Akatsuki and its members are singularly odd; Neji realizes this more and more with each passing day. After witnessing Kisame behead Hidan on the training fields _and surviving_ Neji wonders what in the name of _Kami_ he has gotten himself into.

"What the _fuck_, Kisame!" Hidan's head yells, independent of his body. Kisame grins and shoulders _Samehada._

"Stop whining," Kakuzu rasps, stooping, and hoists Hidan's head up by his hair, while the decapitated man continues to scream obscenities. Neji swallows and takes a step back.

Itachi watches the scene with disinterested boredom from the sidelines. Neji is painfully of the Uchiha's presence; they have yet to speak to each other. Kisame rolls his eyes. "That's Hidan. Can't even take it like a man. What about you, Hyuuga?"

Kisame twirls _Samehada_ and grins, if possible, wider. Neji smiles, assuming his familiar fighting stance with ease. "Of course."

Neji, with Byakugaan activated, is amazed at Kisame's store of _Chakra_; the stuff flows off him in waves. The fight is short and brutal; Neji's defenses fail at the double onslaught of tidal wave and sword. Kisame helps him up, dripping. "Not bad, kid, but _taijutsu_'s not everything."

Neji nods, wearily climbing to his feet. He can feel Itachi's blood–red gaze on his back, and shivers slightly, before heading to the shower to cleanse his body of salt water and sweat.

He is in his rudimentary bedroom, toweling off his damp hair, when Itachi confronts him.

"Hyuuga Neji." Itachi makes the name a statement. A _judgement._

Neji stiffens. Half-naked, he feels vulnerable and all of sudden too warm. "Yes."

"You knew Sasuke." Neji stares, towel still clutched in his hand. "My brother," Itachi clarifies, unnecessarily, "Tell me of him."

Neji blinks, nonplussed, and wonders what to say that won't upset or anger the Uchiha prodigy. "He's with Orochimaru now. But I didn't know him _that _well, even before he left. If Sasuke spoke to anyone it was Naruto, but we all knew he was a skilled ninja."

"Hn." Itachi is standing too close, and Neji resists the urge to step backward. "You killed your family," he says, and the words are spoken softly, with finality.

"They killed my mother. And my father. They made me a _slave._" Neji nearly spits the words out, trying to justify the murders. He is suddenly angry, angry that _Itachi_ of all people should judge him.

"Why made _you _do it?" He asks, dropping the towel, not caring that he is mother-naked in front of the Uchiha prodigy.

"I had reasons," Itachi says in an almost whisper. His eyes trail across Neji's body, who feels the gaze like fire on his skin.

Itachi takes one step closer, and the front of his cloak brushes Neji's bare stomach. He leans forward so that his lips nearly touch the younger man's ear and murmurs, "No doubt they are better than yours."

Neji stands stock still, feeling the tickle of Itachi's bangs on his cheekbones, until the Uchiha vanishes in a flicker and a puff of smoke. Neji lets out his breath in a _whoosh_ of air, unaware that he had ever been holding it.

After that, Neji can scarcely keep his eyes of Itachi.

Deidara notices and flops down next to him on the sofa after dinner. "Hey, Hyuuga," he says with a grin.

Neji grunts noncommittally, pretending to flip through one of Kakuzu's outdated financial magazines, while watching Itachi polish his _Kunai_ on the far side of the room.

Next to him, Hidan is trying loudly and unsuccessfully to pick a fight with Sasori over what show to watch on the fuzzy, black-and-white television, and his voice drives a corkscrew into Neji's headache. He wishes they would just _shut up_ already.

"You're awfully fascinated with the Uchiha," Deidara drawls, scraping a fleck of stray polish of the side of his thumb. He pronounces the _Uchiha_ bitterly, and with derision.

Neji, flustered, glances up from the magazine. "I am _not_."

Hidan, whose efforts at shit-stirring are thwarted when Sasori simply leaves, wanders over. He straddles the back of the couch, invading Neji's personal space to read the title of the magazine. "Why are you reading that dumb shit for?"

Neji jumps at the distraction, turning his back on Deidara. "There's nothing else to do in this place."

" _Tell_ me about it," Hidan complains, threading his fingers behind his head.

"We could talk to Itachi-_san,_" Deidara suggests wickedly. Neji glares at the blonde man, and wishing Deidara was dead, or at the very least far, far away.

"Why the fuck would we want to do that?" Hidan asks, snorting.

Neji watches Itachi collect his tools, black ponytail swishing with every movement, and wonders what on earth will come of this bizarre of attraction. Deidara just smiles, tilting his head toward Neji as if to say _this will be our little secret_.


	3. Trouble

Neji wakes up to loud shouts and crashes. He blinks slowly, stretching as he tries to make sense of the yells that echo off the corrider walls.

"…miserable, greed bastard!"

"**Hidan. Shut up. Or I will kill you**."

"Fuck you! Don't start that again!"

Of course: it's Hidan and Kakuzu fighting _again_. Neji rubs sleeps out of his eyes, and pokes his head around the door frame to see what's going on. Kakuzu has Hidan by the throat, and is pressing him against the wall, the Jashinist's arms bound by threads. _Kami_ knows what's set them off this time.

"Both of you _cut it out_, yeah? Stop releasing sexual tension and let me sleep!" Deidara stands at the end of the hall, eyes blood shot and hair like a haystack. He looks ridiculous, but his hands are already forming the signs for what Neji recognizes as a particularly unpleasant explosive _jutsu__. _

Apparently Kakuzu realizes this as well, because he withdraws his hand from Hidan's neck and steps back. His body language and expression emit pure contempt for his partner.

Hidan, on the other hand, jerks away from Kakuzu as if the man is on fire, screaming, "Pervert! Don't touch me!" Swearing, he throws himself down the corridor and out of sight.

"What's going on?" Kisame appears, and Neji notices that he's shirtless, clad only in faded blue pants; presumably he sleeps that way. Neji can't help but stare at the wide expanse of Kisame's muscular chest. It's just so _blue_.

"Hidan and Kakuzu were fighting," Neji explains, stepping out into the hall completely. Kisame grins at him, crossing his powerful arms across his chest. Neji ducks his head, feeling his face go hot. From behind him, Deidara laughs derisively

"Again? When is Leader-_sama_ going to kick those zombie twins out?" Kisame shakes his head. Deidara snorts at the nickname, stalking back to room.

Over breakfast, Hidan sits as far as possible from Kakzuzu, scowling at his plate as he stabs his rice repeatedly with his chopsticks. Neji tries to maneuver himself next to Itachi, but Deidara manages to interfere, positioning himself between them. Kisame leans digs eagerly into his food, ingnoring the tension around him; Neji is sickened and somewhat fascinated by the way his sharp teeth grind meat and rice.

"Hello, friends!" There's a puff of smoke and Tobi appears, and if possible, it seems as if his blank orange mask is _smiling_.

"Message from Leader-_sama_! I-have-a-mission-for-hidan-and-kakuzu-expect-a-summos-shortly-thank-you-that-is-all." Tobi rattles off the orders in the careless fashion of a tape recorder. When he is finished reciting, he bows and vanishes.

Hidan groans loudly, and slams his head into the table.

Later, Neji catches Itachi on his way to the training fields. "Do you know what Tobi's deal is?"

Itachi stares at him impassively with blood-red eyes. "Do I know what Tobi's _deal_ is," Itachi repeats softly. "I'm afraid I don't what you mean."

Neji bites in his lower lip in what could almost be a pout. "You know what I mean. He comes and goes as he pleases; I never see him around the hideout."

Itachi runs his thumb over Neji's lips, down to the dip of his collarbone, tracing little circles there. "You shouldn't bite your lip, Neji-_kun_," he says absently. "And Tobi is a subordinate; Zetsu's to be precise. He's not a full member yet, only an errand-runner or a delivery boy."

Itachi turns to go, but Neji grabs him by the shoulder, swinging the man around to face him. "Don't treat me like a child!"

Itachi smiles sardonically. "You sulk like one."

Neji is so angry, so _frustrated_. He wants to make Itachi eat his words; catch _him_ off his guard for once. So He Neji takes a deep breath and crashes his lips into the Uchiha's. Itachi's jaw slackens in surprise, allowing Neji's tongue access. He trails his hands down from Itachi's shoulders, resting them on Itachi's chest, as he would with a woman.

Itachi tolerates this for all of thirty seconds before spinning Neji around and pressing _him_ into the wall, kissing fiercely, teeth grazing Neji's lower lips. Neji moans, an involuntary reaction to Itachi's skilled tongue. But Neji isn't helpless; he presses his legs in between Itachi's, causing the man to inhale sharply.

Neji is breathless when they finally break away, hair mussed and falling in his face. Itachi watches Neji adjust his robe and finger-comb his hair smugly; Itachi is perfectly arrayed.

"Maybe you are not such a child after all," Itachi concedes, and then his form flickers and goes out.

"_Fucking teleportation_," Neji mutters, and heads for the training fields. When he gets there, Kisame is sparring with several of Sasori's puppets, while Deidara looks on, bored.

"Hey, Hyuuga. Come fight me, yeah?" Deidara flicks hair out of his face and smirks at Neji, knowing he can't refuse.

But Neji is looking forward to working out some of his aggression, and accepts eagerly. Knees bent, he activates the _byakugaan. _By chance, he glances at and _though_ the cave walls, automatically zooming in on any living creatures.

He sees the back of a man with long, spiky black hair and bright-red _sharingan _eyes. Facing him, and coincidently Neji, is another man. This man lifts his head, and Neji notes incredulously, almost seems to _see_ him.

Neji blinks and hastily looks away, straight into Deidara's incoming clay bird. He throws his arms over his head, bracing himself for the inevitable explosion. The last things he hears before the wall of fire hits him is Deidara's triumphant victory shout.

When Neji comes to, he is in his bedroom, bandages wrapped around his ribcage. Tobi, wearing an apron, bustles around the bed humming.

Neji, to his embarrassment, is naked, and he crosses his legs under the thin sheets. "Where are my clothes?"

"Burnt! Deidara _really_ took you down!" Tobi claims cheerfully, setting a tray of medicines on the bedside table. "And no need to be shy, I did undress you after all."

Needless to say, this does not make Neji feel any better. "I was distracted. He never would have beaten me that easily if I had been focusing."

"Yeah, about that? I need to talk to you about that little _distraction_." Tobi sits on the bed, so close that his leg presses against Neji's nude hip. Tobi leans in close, and Neji can almost see his eyes narrowing through the mask.

"You weren't really supposed to see that. It's not your fault, of course, but we'd really prefer if this didn't leak out to the rest of _Akatsuki_." Tobi's taps Neji on the nose playfully, but his tone his dead serious.

"So just to make sure, Leader-_sama_ is making me your new partner! Isn't that _great_?" Tobi flings his arms around Neji's neck, heedless of any sort of personal boundary. Neji, feeling Tobi's fingernails dig into his ribcage, wonders just how much trouble he's gotten himself into.


	4. Frustration

Working with Tobi is a constant headache. The man is intensely grating, always ready to spout whimsical nonsense about unicorns and butterflies and _kami _knows what else. Neji would wring Tobi's neck if he was not so wary of him. Tobi sticks to Neji like bubblegum on a shoe soul; he accompanies the Hyuuga everywhere, including the bathroom.

On one such occasion Neji, red-faced, zips up his pants after relieving himself. Tobi leans against the sink, unperturbed and unrepentant. Neji scowls. "You know, I _really_ don't think you need to be in here with me."

"Of _course_ I have to be in here with you! Otherwise I'd miss you, and we can't have that, can we?" Tobi beams, jabbing Neji in the ribs with a stiff finger.

Neji exits the bathroom, sighing, only to collide with a person just outside it. He sees blood-red eyes and raven-black hair and recognizes Itachi. Tobi peers over Neji's soldier and waves happily.

Itachi raises an eyebrow quizzically at the scene and Neji feels his face turn even redder, a feat he would have thought impossible. He imagines what Itachi must be thinking. Tobi rests his pointy chin on Neji's shoulder, digging into the tendons there. Neji yelps.

"Zetsu is looking for you, Tobi," Itachi says coolly.

"Is he? Oh, _boy_!" Tobi disappears in a jaunty flash while Neji breathes a sigh of relief and sags against the wall.

This is the first time Neji has been alone with Itachi since their messy encounter a few weeks ago; Tobi has taken up all of Neji's time, and Deidara occupies what little freedom he has left over with sparring matches and snide asides.

One look at Itachi's cold, composed face is enough to make his knees quiver.

Itachi leans forward, eyes lowered and whispers, "You never finished what you started, Hyuuga. Are you really that much of a coward?"

Neji snarls, nerves forgotten. He pulls Itachi toward him by his collar, but before Neji can do anything else the scene shifts abruptly. Neji stumbles, dizzy, and falls against a futon; Itachi has teleported them back to his room.

"So rash," Itachi murmurs, pushing Neji onto the futon before crawling on top of him, "You wouldn't want anyone to walk in on is, would you?"

Before Neji can answer Itachi's lips are against his and a warm tongue flicks against his front teeth. Shivers race down Neji's spine as Itachi brushes spider-like fingers down his back, tugging his robe open and then off. Calloused fingertips find his nipple and _tug, _making Neji gasp out loud; no girl has ever touched him like that before.

Itachi's tongue trails down his neck, nipping at his collarbone, and flicking against a sensitive nipple. Fabric tears loudly as Neji yanks Itachi's robe open; he wants to see more of him, _feel _more of him.

"Now, now," Itachi chides softly, "Be careful."

"Fuck careful. _Fuck_- " Neji hisses as Itachi's mouth closes around his nipple. Silky hair runs through his calloused fingers as he grips Itachi's head with clenched knuckles before running his hands down the smooth, rippling plane of his back.

Neji feels beaten, reduced to a writhing mass as Itachi's hand moves lower and lower down his stomach, and then his hand is right _there_, teasing and touching him through the oh-so-thin fabric of his pants. Neji's bites his lip to keep from crying out.

Suddenly, there is a loud knock at the door. The noise shatters the tension, and Itachi quickly withdraws his hand, leaving Neji red-faced and gasping for breath. The person outside the door continues banging impatiently.

"Hey, Uchiha!" the intruder shouts, "Open up, yeah? Or I'm going to make your door into some seriously explosive art."

"It's Deidara," Neji says with a groan, "Better let him in."

"What do you want," Itachi intones icily, opening the door. Deidara crosses his arms, peering behind Itachi at Neji, who realizes with a jolt that they are both in a state of disarray, hair tangled and robes discarded. A sly smirk flicks across Deidara's face.

"I was looking for Neji, actually. He and I have a conversation long overdue, yeah?" he drawls, flipping his hair back before continuing, "But I can see you're both busy, so this time tomorrow? My room? Be there, Neji, yeah?"

Neji nods, defeated; he can't risk his infatuation with Itachi getting leaked to the rest of Akatsuki, and he definitely does not want Itachi to know the extent of his feelings. Itachi watches the whole scene silently, no emotion visible on his handsome face as Deidara stalks from the room.

"I'd better go train," Neji murmurs, willing away his unspent arousal. Itachi, as usual, seems unaffected.

Feeling deflated, and disappointed with Itachi's lack of emotion, Neji heads for the practice courts, determined not to look back at Itachi on the way out but he does anyway, of course, and just one look at those red eyes makes his head spin. He looks forward to working his frustration out on Hidan or Sasori's puppets.

Hidan _is _out on the practice fields, but so is Tobi unfortunately, bouncing and squealing and being generally undignified. Fighting Hidan is difficult; he has to avoid that scythe and attempt to immobilize Hidan at the same time, and ordinary attacks are ineffective because he's immortal. Neji manages to restrain Hidan after hours and hours of combat but by that time he has reached exhaustion, and also collapses.

Neji is dimly aware of Hidan squirming on the ground, imprisoned by motion-restricting chakra ropes. Kakuzu is crouched over the Jashinist, straddling his legs and inspecting a gash on his chest, presumably for stitches.

"You bastard, I'm not fucking gay!" Hidan screams at the top of his lungs "Get off me!"

Then comes the unmistakable _thwack _of Kakuzu's fist on some soft part of Hidan's anatomy, and a resulting tirade of outraged profanity.

Neji laughs weakly as Tobi cheerfully scoops him up and takes him to the infirmary, but sobers quickly as he remembers his meeting with Deidara the next day: the thought of talking to Deidara one-on-one is almost as daunting as the realization that Tobi is probably going to strip him again.


End file.
